Game board



' July 15, N. M. SCHRUBEN GAME BOARD Filed Sept. '20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORQ I /Y/c/20/a5 M. Sc/zruben ATTORNEY July15,1947- V N. M. SCHRUBEN 2,424,123

GAME BOARD Filed Sept. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEV Patented July 15, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME BOARD Nicholas M. Schruben, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 20, 1945, Serial No. 617,552

Claims.

This invention relates to game boards for any kind of game employing playing pieces and a board element, such as checkers, chess and the like.

The main object of the present invention is to provide mean to make the game board entirely self -contained and quite compact.

Another object of my invention is to furnish all the playing pieces self-contained in suitable recesses in the board, the entire afiair being so assembled and of such compactness that it may be conveniently carried in a pocket or the like.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide an assemblage of a game board and playing pieces which are self-contained, a composite arrangement which is practical in construction and which may be used, primarily, for games constructed to furnish amusement to individuals playing such games and a construction which is of such elemental organization as to warrant economical manufacture thereof in quantity production.

, Another object of my invention is to provide an article of the aforementioned character in which the playing pieces are retained in a recess in the board, and in which a segment of quadrant configuration is spring-urged to retain the playing pieces within the recesses provided therefor under tension or spring pressure laterally.

Another object of my invention is, to provide a playing board having a playing field thereon and provided with perimetral recesses and a mouth closed by a spring-urged tongue to form a throat portion to receive the playing pieces in the recesses provided therefor and maintain them in confinement so that slight pressure and force is requiredto remove, or to deposit, men within the confines provided therefor,

Other objects, ancillary advantages and features of my invention may become readily apparent from an examination of the accompanying drawings, taking into consideration the ensuing description.

In the drawings a special form of the game board is depicted as constructed according to .the teachings and practices of my invention and by way of example, it is illustrated in connection with a board for playing checkers. In the drawings and in the various related figures like symbo-ls are used to designate like parts.

Fig. 1 shows a top plan View of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken, substantially, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken, substantially, on thellne 3-41 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the board in closed position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View depicting more clearly the specific structural details comprising my invention and elucidating more clearly the teachings thereof.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of, substantially, a quarter section of a board having a slightly modified playing piece retaining structure.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the spring-urged playing piece retaining element.

Fig. 8 is an other fragmentary side elevational view of the spring-urged playing piece retaining element; and

F g. 9 is a slightly enlarged cross-sectional view, fragmentary in nature, and taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

One form of my invention is best illustrated, and graphically depicted, in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, wherein my invention is, generally, designated I0, and consists of a board element comprised of half sections H and I2 which are secured articulately by means of the flexible hinge e so that the said half sections II and l2 may be sup rimposed one upon the other as illustrated in Figure 4.

The sections of the board element are each provided with recesses along the outer perimetral portion thereof, the said recesses being designated M and terminating at 15, so that two U shaped recesses are provided, one for each player to store his playing pieces [9 therein. The playing field is subdivided into two sections and is depicted on a paper element 21, being designated with playing areas of a dark color 2| and areas of a lighter color 22 contiguous and in contrast thereto. The recesses M are covered at the top by the lips I? and the diagonal reenforcements 58 because of the increase in dimension at the corner to prevent checkers or playing pieces [9 from falling out at that point, and also to provide a suitable reenforcement for the overhangin lips I! which bear on edges of the playing pieces I9 and thus confine them within the recesses M. The lips terminate at point 25 in order to provide a mouth or opening l6 through which the checkers are inserted or removed. Directly and in juxtaposition to the mouth l6 are secured the spring tongue elements 20 which are made of suitable tensile material being secured to the bottom of the recess I4 by virtue of small headed rivets orescutcheon pins 23, the said spring elements 20 being each provided with an arcuately bent portion 24 which flexes downwardly as in 3 dicated by the doted line 24 in Fig. 2 and normally occupy a position shown in full lines Fig. 2. Thus to place a playing piece within the recess I4 the checker is positioned at the mouth I6, and the spring tongue portion 24 caused to be depressed permitting the checker or playing piece I9 to be slid into the pocket or recess I4 and confined between the outer wall 26 and held under lip IT. To remove a checker the reverse procedure is followed, namely, the checker is grasped at its top surface frictionally by the tip of the forefinger and slid along the pocket until it reaches the a bent tongue portion 24, then by slight pressure the spring tongue portion 24 is caused to be depressed to the dotted position, which provides a sufiicient throat for the playing piece I9 to be brought past the confining edges 25,"while the bent tongue portion 24 serves to eject the checker I9, subsequently the checker may be easily grasp-ed and used for play, or for such purposes as it may be required.

In order to prevent the playing pieces from rattling in the pocket provided on the board, which is of U shaped configuration and is located about the perimetral edges of the board in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, I show a slightly modified structure for such purposes. The board in this section is, generally, designated 28, and is provided with a recess and lips 29 and 3| for confining the playing pieces I9 as in the form illustrated in Figs. 1

to 5, with the exception that in thi instance the lip 3I i slightly wider in'order to permit movement of the quadrant shaped spring-tensioned playing piece holding element 32. The said element 32 is made up of a ninety degree section of metal or other suitable molding of U shaped cross-section so as to provide riding ledges on top and bottom thereof, in order to confine the same slidably under the lip 3I and render it slidably operative against the bottom of the recess 30. The said element is maintained in coincidental alignment normally with the edges of the lip 3|. Thesaid element 32 is held in this position by the fiat spring elementshaving an upwardly bent arcuate portion 34 to which is secured a rivet 33' or 33, the body of the rivet being slidably operative respectively in the slotted portions 38 and 38', the spring element 35 being secured by one ormore escutcheon pins or rivets 36 to the inner wall 31 of the recess 30. Two such springs 35 are provided, and it can be readily understood, by reference to the drawings, that when a checker is placed in the mouth I6 and the spring tongue 20 is caused to have its portion 24 depressed the checker is thus entered into the pocket 30; In placing the checker into the mouth I6, the spring portion 24 and the spring portion 34 are caused to be depressed; the spring section 24 being flexed in a downward direction, whereas simultaneously with that action the spring portion 34 is fixed laterally, thus permitting the checker to be deposited within the pocket 30 and after it passes the humped portion 24 of the spring tongue'2fl the inner edge of the quadrant-like pressure element 32 will urge the playing piece or checker I9 against the opposite wall 26 by virtue of the spring portion 34 urging it outwardly. When the element 32 is thus caused to be initially moved to the left, looking at Figure 6, the slotted opening 38 is caused to be moved relatively with respect to the body of the rivet 33, and thus compensate for the movement of the quadrant-like element 32 to the left. Likewise, when the quadrant-like element 32 is to be brought downward to the position indicated by the dotted line at Figure 6, the slotted portion 38 will be caused to slide downwardly on the rivet 33'; yet when a checker or playing piece I9 is brought around the corner of the board directly under the bridging strap I8 the quadrant-like pressure element 32 will move diagonally, thus causing the slot 38' to move relative to rivet 33, and simultaneously therewith cause the slot 38 to move downwardly relative to its rivet 33'. Thus a limited universal movement is provided to the quadrant-like pressure element 32 to move in the plane of the board 28 either to the left, or to the right, or in both directions simultaneously within the range indicated by the dotted lines showing the limit of movement of the element 32. It can be seen thus that the checkers may be readily removed from the confines 30 or replaced therein. The checkers may also be completely housed within the pockets or confines 30 and the checker board folded and closed and thus put away for safekeeping and maintaining intact all the paraphernalia belonging to the game for ready and instant use, whenever it is desired to use the game board and playing pieces in combination.

While the present invention depicts a pocket size structure, it is understood that the same general construction features may be applied to game boards of larger size employing discs or other shaped playing pieces. It being understood that the basic invention mainly is the storing of playing pieces in a perimetrally recessed portion of the game board, and the provision of pressure actuated accessible means to the said pocket, and also providing pressure retaining means of quadrant-like configuration to prevent rattling of the playing pieces in a. modified or preferred form of the invention disclosed.

I have thus described rather succinctly a game board embodying the features and teachings of my invention in the use of such games as chess, checkers, and the like. An example of the structure which may be used to practice my invention is impliedly indicated or embraced in the accompanying drawings. However, the specific terms herein are used descriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the spirit and scope'of the invention being defined by the subjoined claims.

Having thus described and revealed my invention, what I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A board formed of two hinged sections each having a playing field, each of said sections on the free outer edges thereof provided with channel means of a configuration perimetral with the said board, being further provided with a'substantially central mouth portion and retaining lip portions above the said channel means to form a chamber for confining removably the playing pieces used in conjunction with the said board, and spring urged lateral pressure means of quadrant-like configuration constructed and arranged to retain the said playing pieces in the said chamber to prevent free movement thereof.

2. A boardformed of two hinged sections each having a playing field, each of said sections on the free outer edges thereof provided with chan nel means of a configuration perimetral with the said board, being further provided with a substantially central mouth portion and retaining lip portions above the said channel means to form a chamber for confining removably the playing pieces used in conjunction with the said board, resilient tongue means mounted in juxtaposition to the said mouth portion to effectuate ejection of the said playing pieces when slid outwardly toward the said mouth portion, and spring-urged lateral pressure means of quadrantlike configuration constructed and arranged to retain the said playing pieces in the said chamber to prevent free movement thereof.

3. A board formed of two hinged sections each having a playing field, each of said sections on the free outer edges thereof provided with channel means of a configuration perimetral with the said board, being further provided with a substantially central mouth portion and retaining lip portions above the said channel means to form a chamber for confining removably the playing pieces used in conjunction with the said board, lateral pressure means constructed and arranged to retain the said playing pieces in the said chamber to prevent free lateral movement thereof, and resilient tongue means including, a flat resilient element having an arcuately bent portion below the said mouth portion and a leg portion secured to the bottom of the said chamher.

4. A board formed of two hinged sections each having a playing field, each of said sections on the free outer edges thereof provided with channel means of a configuration perimetral with the said board, being further provided with a substantially central mouth portion and retaining. lip portions above the said channel means to form a chamber for confining removably the playing pieces used in conjunction with the said board, and lateral pressure means constructed and arranged to retain the said playing pieces in the said chamber to prevent free movement thereof, the said lateral pressure means including, a quadrant-like element having a U shaped cross-section mounted adjacent each corner of the said chamber and arranged to operate in limited universal movement in the plane of the board, fiat resilient elements secured to each of two adjacent inner walls of the said chamber,

6 the flexure end of said resilient elements being slidably secured each to a leg of the said quadrant-like element.

5. A board formed of two hinged sections each having a playing field, each of said sections on the free outer edges thereof provided with channel means of a configuration perimetral with the said board, being further provided with a substantially central mouth portion and retaining lip portions above the said channel means to form a chamber for confining removably the playing pieces used in conjunction with the said board, and spring-urged lateral pressure means of quadrant-like configuration constructed and arranged to retain the said playing pieces in the said chamber to prevent free movement thereof, the said lateral pressure means including, a quadrant-like element having a U shaped crosssection mounted adjacent each corner of the said chamber and arranged to operate in limited universal movement in the plane of the board, fiat resilient elements secured to each of two adjacent inner Walls of the said chamber, the flexure end of said resilient elements being slidably secured each to a leg or the said quadrant-like element.

NICHOLAS M. SCHRUBEN.

REFERENCES CITED following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,641,104 Solod Aug. 30, 1927 1,420,334 Neuner June 20, 1922 2,398,368 Fox Apr. 16, 1946 1,963,971 McCoon June 26, 1934 1,825,805 Markson Oct. 6, 1931 1,664,753 Langenfield Apr. 3, 1928 

